Minden–Tahoe Airport

Minden–Tahoe Airport (IATA: MEV, ICAO: KMEV, FAA LID: MEV) is a general aviation airport serving the Carson Valley in Douglas County, including the towns of Minden, Gardnerville and Genoa, Nevada; and Lake Tahoe to the west. The airport is about five miles north of Minden. It is home to the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center and regional firefighting air tanker base.

Minden–Tahoe Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerDouglas County
ServesMinden, Nevada
Elevation AMSL4,722 ft / 1,439 m
Coordinates39°00′03″N 119°45′07″W
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
16/34 7,400 2,256 Asphalt
12/30 5,300 1,615 Asphalt
12G/30G 2,200 671 Dirt
Statistics (2009)
Aircraft operations79,800
Based aircraft255

The airport is a mecca for soaring, and many North American and world records have been flown out of Minden in the many gliders that it hosts.

Gliders are usually towed to altitudes of 1,000 to 2,000 ft (300 to 610 m) over the airport, and they are often able to make out and return flights to the White Mountains, Owens Valley, and Eastern Nevada, often covering distances of over 500 mi (800 km).

During winter months the famous Sierra mountain wave can carry gliders well over 25,000 ft (7,600 m), with the Minden record well over 40,000 ft (12,000 m).

A non-fatal mid-air collision near the Pine Nuts range between a glider and a small jet at 16,000 ft (4,900 m) has heightened the awareness for all airplanes flying in the area that both types of aircraft need to watch for each other.

The airport is undergoing an expansion plan where glider operations will be moved to the East Side of the airport.

Minden–Tahoe Airport is the base for the "Introduction to Soaring" tutorial mission supplied with Microsoft Flight Simulator X.

Facilities

Minden–Tahoe Airport covers 990 acres (400 ha) at an elevation of 4,722 ft (1,439 m). It has two asphalt runways: 16/34 is 7,400 by 100 ft (2,256 by 30 m) and 12/30 is 5,300 by 75 ft (1,615 by 23 m). A glider runway (12G/30G) has 2,200 by 60 ft (671 by 18 m) of dirt.[1]

In the year ending February 28, 2009 the airport had 79,800 aircraft operations, average 218 per day: 97% general aviation, 3% air taxi, and less than 1% military. 255 aircraft were then based at the airport: 56% single-engine, 9% multi-engine, 2% jet, 1% helicopter, 31% glider and less than 1% ultralight.[1]

Airshow

Minden-Tahoe hosts the Aviation Roundup – an annual event usually taking place in the Fall. In 2016 and 2017, the airshow was headlined by the United States Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team.[2] The 2018 airshow featured the United States Navy Blue Angels.[3]

References
  1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for MEV PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective July 29, 2010.
  2. "U.S. Navy Blue Angels to Perform During the Aviation Round-up at the Minden Tahoe Airport". Tahoe South.
  3. "Minden-Tahoe Airport to Host Blue Angels at 2018 Aviation Roundup". Carson Now. 2017-12-12.
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